Latch for gates.



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(Application fllad Apr. 16, 1893.5

(No Model.)

Wih essrz l' Uornzys.

UNITED STATES CAMERON E. HAPPY, OF

PATENT O FicE.

R. D. HAPPY,

LATCH FOR GATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 627,750, dated June27, 1899;

' Application filed April 18, 1898. $erial No. 678,073. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CAMERON E. HAPPY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mayfield, in the county of Graves and State of Kentucky,have invented a newand useful Latch for Gates, of which the following isa specification. 4

The invention relates to improvements in latches for gates.

The objects of the presentinvention are to improve the construction oflatches for gates and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficientone which will be capable of automatic operation to look a gate when thesame is closed.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts, as-hereinafter fully described, illus trated inthe accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a latch constructedin accordance with this invention and shown arranged for automaticlocking. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the parts locked. Fig. 4 is a detail perspectiveview of the stud.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates a casing disposed vertically and provided between its endswith outwardlyextending horizontal arms 2 and 3, forming a recess oropening between thenifor the reception of a stud 4, which is locked inthe recess to retain a gate in its closed position by a bell-crank lever5 and a locking-lever 6. The casing, which is designed to be mounted ona latch-post, is provided beyond the arms 2 and. 3 with longitudinalslots 7, adapted for the reception of screws or other suitable fasteningdevices for securing the latch to'a latch-post, and the slots are.provided at intervals with opposite recesses, forming countersunkopenings for the head of a screw, whereby the casing is renderedadjustable and is firmly secured at the desired adjustment, the recessesproviding an interlocking connection between thecasing and the fastenlngdevlces.

The bell-crank lever, which is fulcrumed across the mouth of the recess9. .tained in this position to confine the stud in at its angle on atransverse pivot 8, is mounted on the lower arm 3 at the bottom of theopening or recess 9, and the said arm 3 is provided with alongitudinal-groove 10, which receives the inner arm 11 of thebell-crank outer end thereof, to form a pair of ears and to enable theouter arm 12 of the bell-crank lever to swing downward to the positionillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and

the downward swing of the bell-crank leveris limited by a transverse ribor projection 13, arranged on the outer face of the arm 12,

adjacent to the angle of the lever, and adapted to abut against the arm3 at the outer terminal of the bottom wall of the groove 10. The innerarm l1 of the bell -crank lever when the latter is swung outward anddownward is supported in an inclined position and extends across themouth of the opening or recess 9 in-position to be engaged by the stud4: when the gate is closed, and as the gate swings to the stud contactswith the arm 11 in entering the recess 9, swinging the bellcrank leveron its pivot and carrying the outer arm-upward.

When the belhcrank lever is at the limit of its inward movement, theouter arm 12 is disposed substantially vertical and extends It is retherecess bya locking-lever 6, before referred to, and this locking-lever 6is arranged in a groove 14 of the upper arm 2, the groove being outthrough the outer end of the upper arm to the groove 10 of the lower armto permit the lever 6 to swing upward to the desiredextent. The outerend of the arm 12 is provided with a projection or tooth 15, which isadapted to engage a corresponding shoulder or projection 16 of thelocking-lever 6, whereby the bell-crank lever is securely held againstoutward movement. The lockinglever 6 is pivoted at its inner end in thegroove 14 of the upper wall of the recess or opening 9, and the tooth15, which is substantiallytriangular, interlocks with-the shoulder orprojection 16, which has its engaging face arranged at a slight angle,as shown. This interlocking engagement prevents the lever 6 from beingaccidentally lifted by any vibra tion of the gate.

The lever 6 extends beyond the casing, and its outer portion forms ahandle to enable it to be readily lifted out of engagement with the arm12 of the bell-crank lever, and when the parts are arranged asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 they are adapted to engage the stud atautomatically as the gate closes. The lever 6 rests upon the inner arm11 of the bellcrank lever when the latter is swung outward and downwardand assists in holding the same in such position.

The stud 4, which is preferably rounded, as

. shown, is formed integral with an attachmentplate and is adapted to bereadily mounted on a gate.

The invention has the following advantages: The gate-latch is simple andcomparatively inexpensivein construction, it possesses'great strengthand durability, and it is applicable to all kinds of swinging gates andthe like. It is adaptedto engage the gate automatically as the samecloses, and the bell-crank lever cannot become accidentally disengagedfrom the locking-lever through any vibration of a gate or any outwardpressure exerted by the same. It is adapted to resist any verticalpressure on a gate, so that the latter cannot be opened by stock.

Changes in the form, proportion, and mi nor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyofthe advantages of this invention.

What I claim is A device of the class described comprising a verticalcasing provided between its ends with horizontal arms spaced apart toprovide a recess and provided at their inner faces' with longitudinalgrooves, the bell-crank 1ever fulcrumed at its angle at the outer end ofthe lower arm in the groove thereof, adapted to swing inward and outwardand provided at the outer edge of its outer arm with a transverse rib orprojection 13, said lever being provided at the terminal of its outerarm with the projection or tooth 15, and a horizontal locking-lever 6pivoted at its innor end in the groove of the upper horizontal arm andsupported by the inner arm of the bell-crank lever when the latter isswung outward, said lever 6 being provided at its lower edge with ashoulder located between the ends of the said lever 6- and arranged tobe engaged by the tooth of the outer arm of the bell-crank lever whenthe latter is in its closed position, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CAMERON E. HAPPY. Witnesses:

R. D. HAPPY, HARRY GEORGE.

